Machine for wrapping newspapers.



I. R. HUTCHINSON.

MACHINE FOR WRAPHNG- NEWSPAPERS. APPLIOATIoN HLM; Nov. 2o, 1907.

71,8938 ,Y Patented ct. 4,1910.l

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I. R. HUTGHINSON. MACHINE PoR WRAPPING NEWSPAPERS.'

APPLIGATION FILED NOV. 20', 1907.

Patented oct. 4, 1910.

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I. R. HUTGHINSON.

UMAGHINE POR WRAPPING NEWSPAPERS.

APPLICATION PILBDIIOV. 20, 1907.

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I I I Patented 0015.4, 1910.

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1m: 'vonnis PEfERs co., wAsNmcraN. n. c.

AWM/vifsv I. R. HUTGHINSON.-

MACHINE FOR WRAPPING NEWSPAPERS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 20, 1907. @71,89% Patented 0011.4, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEBT 4.

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IRA R. I-IUTCHINSON, OF FRESNO, CALIFORNIA., ASSIGNOR TO HUTCI-IINSON MAILER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, 0F FRESNO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION 0F ARI- ZONA TERRITORY.

MACHINE FOR WRAPIING NEWSPAPERS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I', Ina R. I-IU'roi-iiNsoN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Fresno, in the county of Fresno and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Machines for Trapping Newspapers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements made in machinery for folding newspapers and placing wrappers on them for the mail, at one operation; and it has for its object the production of an improved wrappingmachine capable oit wrapping' newspapers of varying bulk or thickness, and oiE performing the several operations of rolling or folding the newspaper, applying the wrapper and xing the same, in a rapid manner by mechanical means; the machine being especially adapted by its construction to rapidly wrap and prepare for the mail the Sunday edition ot a newspaper as it leaves the printing-machine in its folded form, without requiring intermediate handling between the printiiig-machine and the rolling and wrapper-applying mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means for automatically feeding or presenting the newspapers to the wrapping-mechanism from the bottom ot a stack or pile, and for so controlling the papers that only the lowermost paper will be seized and drawn out by the feeding-mechanism in every feeding' operation, whatever may be the. bulk or thickness oi the papers.

Another object of the invention is to provide simple and improved means for severing the wrapper from a continuous strip or roll, and presenting it with the paper to the wrapping-mechanism.

To these and other ends and objects, as will hereinafter appear, my present invention consists in certain novel parts and combination of parts and mechanism, all as fully explained and set forth with reference to the accoinpanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims at the end of this speciiication.

In the said drawings, Figure l .is a plan or top-view of a wrapping-machine embodying my invention the paper-holding rack being removed or omitted. F ig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line. -a?, Fig.

Specification of Letters Patent.

App1icaton .filed November 20, 1907.

Patented Oct. 4, 19N).

Serial No. Ll02,961.

1 looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 3 is a similar section on the line a-a, Fig. l looking in a direction opposite to that of Fig. 2. Fig. 4L is a perspective-view, showing on an enlarged scale, the arrangement ot the mandrel and the yielding presser-plate and one ol the extractingrollers, together with the cutting-blades that sever the wrapper from the continuous strip or web of paper. Fig. 5 is a trontelevation, on an enlarged scale, of the lower port-ion of the paper-holding ack, showing the yielding-gate at the outlet. Fig. 6 is a central vertical section of the paper-holding rack. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view oi the paper-feeding` slide, on an enlarged scale, showing the feed-points on the slide.

In the newsp:iper-wrapping machine ot my invention the paper is brought to a cylindrical form, or approximately so, by means of a revoluble core, or mandrel, cooperating with a yielding' presser-plate. The paper beingI temporarily attached by one edge to the mandrel, is drawn in between that part and the yielding presserplate, and is wound on the mandrel in a close roll by a partial revolution ot the mandrel on its axis. iv the same operation the strip ot paper tor the wrapper is wound or laid around the paper in such manner that it is on the outside oi'.I the paper and is gummed, or otherwise fastened on the edge, so as to retain the paper in its rolled or folded condition.

At the end of the wrapping operation the rolled and wrapped paper is removed from the mandrel by means of an extracting-device comprising a pair of positively rotated gripping-rolls, having in addition to their rotary motion a reciprocating movement in a plane coincident with the longitudinal axis of the mandrel, and operating by such movement at the end of each rotative wrapping motion of the mandrel to advance toward the end of the mandrel, and then, after seizing the end of the wrapped paper, to draw it oit the mandrel endwise.

The wrapping-mechanism and extractingmeans in the present machine, in their general features, are embodied in a similar wrapping-machine which was made the subject of an application for Letters Patent filed by me on the 16th day of October 1900, Serial No. 339,177 and patented July 7, 1908, No. 892,837. But they contain improvements that are designed chiefly with a. view to render the feeding, wrapping and extracting-devices certain and reliable in their respective movements and operations, and generally to increase the scope and contribute to the rapidity of the machine under all the variations in the bulk or thickness of the papers that may be run through the machine.

ln the drawings a indicates the rack for the papers; b the paper-feeding slide, and Z-c the paper-feeding rolls.

The reference letters f-g indicate respectively the wrapping-mandrel and the presser-plate.

The extracting-rolls are seen at L-Jo, one above the other. Between the feed-rolls cZ-c and the wrapping-mandrel are situated the wrapper-cutting knife Q3 and the pastetrough p. These parts are mounted on a stationaryframe Qd, and are actuated from a common shaft S. Power is applied from lineshafting through a belt and pulleys, or by connecting the shaft directly with a. motor.

At the present time the larger newspapers, and particularly the Sunday editions of the leading papers, are folded once across and again at right angles to the first line of fold. By these two folds they are brought in condition or size suitable to be laid in an even pile in the rack of the wrapping-machine, and through the opening provided at the bottom of the rack they are drawn one at a time from the bottom of the pile by the paper-feeding slide The weight of the superposed papers, however, and the bulk or thickness of the paper in its folded state, render it difficult to draw out the bottom paper without carrying out with it to a greater or less extent the leading edge of the paper lying directly on the paper being fed. The present means for controlling the papers at their point of outlet from the paper-holding rack consists in a yieldinggate placed across the opening in the front of the rack, and capable of adjustment vertically, so as to regulate the size ef the outletopening' according to the bulk or thickness of the leading folded edge of the paper.

A simple construction of gate having the desired yielding quality and adjustability is illustrated in Figs. and 6, wherein a plate of stiff metal 3 secured by its upper edge to the front of a movable board 3X has sufficient spring or resilience to yield to the pressure of the lowermost paper and allow the leading edge of that paper to pass under the gate; but, on the other hand, the edge of the next paper, which may follow the bottom paper and be induced to move out with it, through the frictional contact between the two papers, will be arrested by the gate, and, not being positively attached to or moved by the feeding-slide, the gate will hold the edge of that paper back and prevent it from passing out with the bottom paper'. The board 3X is secured to the front of the paperholding' rack by screws 6 taking through slots 7 in the board; it is readily moved and adjusted to vary the distance between the bottom edge of the gate 3 and the floor of the rack by loosening the screws. The plate 3 should have the quality of yielding to the pressure of the edge of the bottom paper and allowing it to pass under the edge of the gate; but to keep back the edge of the next paper when the frictional contact between the bottom paper being drawn outand the next paper lying upon it is sufficient to move that paper toward the outlet. lVhen the gate is properly adjusted the bottom edge will pass over the top-surface of the paper being drawn out through the outlet-opening without tearing or injuring the paper, and it will be in such close relation to that surface as to arrest and hold back the leading edge of the next paper.

The improvement relating to the paperfeeding means consists in arranging on opposite sides of the longitudinal center of the feeding-slide b, and at sufficient distance apart to clear the wrapper-strip -V- two impaling-points 12b-13, having the quality of yielding or turning down flat against the top-surface of the slide, when that part is advanced or caused to move forward underneath the pile of papers, but of holding a rigid position with their points standing above the surface of the slide in the reverse or paper-feeding movement of that part. 1n their first position the points will pass under the bottom paper in the pile wit-hout engaging it, while in the return, or feeding movement by which the paper is drawn out, the points will penetrate the paper to a sufficient extent to attach it to the feedingslide and retain hold of it during the forward, or feeding movement. The construction of these points is illustrated in Fig. 7, in which the points 12-13 fixed on a rod 11 are held normally with their points standing above the surface of the slide by means of a coiled-spring 1G on the rod; but are free to yield and be turned down in the recesses 17 in the surface as they strike the edge of the paper under which they are carried as the slide moves forward. The points will thus pass under the bottom paper without taking hold; but in the return movement by which the paper is drawn out and advanced to the feeding-rolls CZ-c, the points will engage the paper and will be turned up sufciently to retain hold of it during the feeding-movement. As these points are inclined in the direction of the feeding-movenient, the paper will be drawn from them by the feeding- 'rolls without liability of tearing the paper or injuring the points when the machine is operating at high speed.

From the moment that the newspaper is drawn from the pile, until it is wrapped and is ready to be drawn off the mandrel the newspaper and its wrapper-strip are in continuous motion, and for operating the machine at a rapid rate of speed it is necessary to sever the wrapper-strip from the continuous strip of paper' while it is moving with the newspaper, and at the same. time produce a clean cut and perfect separation of the wrapper from the continuous strip without tearing them. To that end the wrappercutting means in this machine consists of a stationary cutting-blade 22 and a movable cutting-blade 23 placed behind the feedingrolls, and at a proper distance in front of the wrapping-mandrel to sever from the continuous strip the piece for the. wrapper on a line between the feeding-rolls and the pasting device after the rear edge of the newspaper has passed out of the feedingrolls, and at such point that sufficient margin or excess of paper-strip at the rear edge will be left to receive the paste and form the closing ap of the wrapper.

The stationary-blade 22 is fixed in position across the frame in close relation to the front edge of the presser-plate, and the movable blade 23 is hinged or pivotally attached at one end to the stationary-blade. rlhis pivotal connection 2a is placed at the end of the blade and its cutting-edge is set at an angle to the fixed blade 22 so as to give a shear cut. The mechanism employed to operate the cutting-blade consists of an arm 25 on the continuously-revolving main-shaft of the machine, the end of which, moving in a circular path, is set to engage an inclined tappet or collar 2S on a vertical rod 29, to the upper end of which the movable blade is connected at- 30. At the lower end the rod is fitted to slide in a stationary guide 3l in the frame. As the end of the arm strikes the tappet in each revolution of the mainshaft, the blade is drawn down, and at the instant that the end of the arm 25 passes off the tappet, the blade is thrown up and returned to its elevated position by a coiled spring 33 interposed between the tappetand the fixed guide 3l. A roller 34 on the end of the arm 25 reduces the wear of the tappet with which it makes contact. By this means the movable blade is operated with a quick movement across the paper-strip producing a clean cut without tearing the paper.

The improvements relating to the means for applying` the wrapper and afterward removing the wrapped newspaper from the machine consist in mounting both the yielding presser-plate and the extracting-rolls upon a single slide-frame, or carrier, the movement of which longitudinally of the mandrel takes place at the end of the wrapping' operation, with the eect to throw the presser-plate back or from under the forward end of the mandrel and thereby allow the extracting-rolls to take hold of the end of the rolled newspaper that extends beyond the mandrel. In the present improvement, as in my previous machine before mentioned, the mandrel is somewhat shorter than the length of the newspaper when rolled on the mandrel, so as to leave the end of the rolled paper projecting beyond the mandrel to readily enter and be grasped by the extracting-rolls; and the last-mentioned part of the mechanism is arranged to move toward the end of the mandrel which is presented toward the continuously revolving rolls of the extracting-device, until the end of the wrapped paper is seized, and is properly grasped by the rolls to be drawn off the mandrel by their rotary motion.

The effective operation of the wrappingmechanism requires that the presser-plate should lie under the mandrel for the full length of the folded paper being operated on; and it is important that the presser-plate should extend under and support the end portion of the paper which extends beyond the end of the mandrel, in order that the folded edge may be rolled without becoming creased or crimped. In the folded state in which the newspaper is presented to the wrapping-mechanism the marginal sides are necessarily composed of a number of double folds as well as of cut edges, which are found ditlicult to roll without tearing or damaging the paper along the creases or folds. But these ditliculties are overcome, and the projecting end of the rolled paper is smoothly laid by extending the presserplate, as described, beyond the end of the wrapping-mandrel.

By mounting the presser-plate and the extracting-rolls on the same carrier, it becomes possible to extend the presser-plate to the end, and even beyond the end of the mandrel without thereby limiting the throw or movement of the extracting-rolls required to grasp the end of the rolled and wrapped paper. As herein constructed and operated, the presser-plate is caused to recede as the extracting-rolls advance, and the end of the rolled paper is exposed for the entire length of the portion extending beyond the mandrel, and will enter between the rolls and be grasped without fail, A folded paper of considerable bulk or thickness can be passed through this wrapping-mechanism, and will be removed from the mandrel with t-he same facility and rapidity as a smaller paper. In addition to their function of drawing off the wrapped papers from the mandrel, the extracting-rolls are utilized to compress and bring the wrapped paper into a flattened state convenient for printing the mailing address or mailing directions on the wrapper. These several parts and mechanisms are combined and arranged with other parts forming the complete wrappingmachine shown in the drawings, so as to actuate all the moving parts from a continuously rotating' shaftto which motion is given through a belt-carrying pulley 34. The paper-feeding' slide reciprocating in the guides 35 on the frame is moved under the stack of papers with the repuired length of stroke from the large grooved-cam 38 on the main-shaft through the medium of the slide-bar 37 having a roller-stud 39 engaging the cani, and an oscillating lever 40X, rocking on a transverse shaft 49, the lever being` attached at one end to the under side of the feeding-slide and at thc opposite end connected to the slide-bar.

The wrapping-mandrel f is similar in construction and operation to the mandrel in my previous machine, before referred to, being divided longitudinallyT into two halves or semi-cylindrical sections held normally apart by springs, so as to permit the insertion of the paper between them, and operating through its own rotary motion to close upon the edge of the paper and so attach the paper to the mandrel in the rolling operation whereby the paper is wound or coiled around it. The rotary motion is imparted to the mandrel by a toothed sector 44 that engages with a gear pinion 43 on the wrapping mandrel and is movable in an arc from av pivotal point 45 on the frame, and receiving motion from the main-shaft through a groove cam 46 in which a roller-stud 47 is arranged to travel. This cam is situated behind or transversely to one side of the cam 38 that actuates the feeding-slide, and is indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2.

The feeding-rolls (Z-e are actuated from the main-shaft, by a sprocket-wheel 50 on the main-shaft, from which a chain-belt 51 is carried up to and returned around a sprocket-pulley 52 on the upper roll and over a similar pulley on the lower roll, as seen in Figs. 1 and Q. Continuous rotation is given to the extracting-rolls L-e from a sprocket-wheel 55 on a counter-shaft 56 by means of a chain-belt 57 and sprocketpulleys 58, 59, on the axles of the rolls. The chain belt 57 in its course passes over a guiding idler wheel 157, Fig. 1, .which directs the path of the belt so that it properly engages with the sprocket wheel 58, and this latter wheel in turn so directs its movement that it has good working engagement with the sprocket wheel 59, see Fig. 4. The counter-shaft 56 is placed at right angles to the main-shaft for that purpose, and is driven from it by a bevel-wheel 57 and a pinion 58'.

The intermittent movements of the presser-plate g and the extracting-rolls, by

which the former is moved longitudinally backward from under the end of the wrapped paper to expose thatend and the extracting-rolls are advanced to grasp the exposed end of the roll, is produced from the continuously driven main-shaft by means of a rock-shaft GO, from which a depending toe G1 bears against a face-cam G2 and rocker-arms (S3- G4 fast on the ends of the rock-shaft are connected at their upper ends to the slide-bars 65-66 of the presser-plate carrier. The slide-bars 65-66 fit in guides 38 on the side-frames of the machine, in which they move longitudinally of the wrapping-mandrel whereas, the latter is mounted on the stationary part G9 of the frame between the slide-bars.

The presser-plate g is formed with a semicircular or concave depression 7 0 along the center, corresponding to the general curvature of the bottom of the mandrel, so as to press the paper smoothly against the mandrel; the plate being mounted on yielding supports composed of guide-pins 71 working in sockets in the slide-bars, and coiledsprings 72 placed between the presser-plate and the slide bars. As the coils or layers of paper accumulate on the mandrel in the wrapping operation, the presser-plate will yield to accommodate the increasing bulk or thickness of the paper, and the springs at the same time will maintain the desired pressure against the accumulating coils to insure smooth and even rolling and wrapping.

The extracting-rolls h-c are mounted on the slide-frame 65-66 in front of the free or unsupported end of the wrapping-mandrel, and while the axle of one roll is carried in spring-bearings 73, the other roll is provided with adjustable boXes 74 for its axles. This allows the space between the opposing faces of the rolls to be enlarged or reduced, according to the variations called for by the change in the size of the paper being run through the machine; as well as to regulate and adjust the working pressure of the eX- tracting-rolls upon the paper. In their function of grasping and drawing olf the rolled paper from the mandrel, as above mentioned, these rolls also operate to iiatten the rolled and wrapped paper, and to that end they are preferably formed with concaved peripheries as seen in Fig. 4. By supporting the extracting rolls as described they are caused, as they reciprocate relative to the mandrel, to move in a path which is substantially parallel with the axis of the mandrel, instead of in a curved path as is the case in a machine such as illustrated in my Patent 892,837, July 7, 1908. The advantages of this rectilineal and parallel movement of the extracting device are apparent, as the paper leaves the mandrel more freely and easily when drawn there-from in the direction of the axis of the mandrel rather than in some other direction. Then discharged from these rolls the wrapped paper is in forni ready for passing through the addressingmachine.

The paste-trough y) is movable up and down in guides, being suspended from a rocking-arm 76 which is fulcrumed at one end on the stationary support 7 5 and at the outer end is connected by a rod 78 with the movable blade of the cutter. By this means the same mechanism that operates the wrapper-cutter also brings the paste-roller 79 in contact with the wrapper and raises it out of contact in the proper intervals to apply paste to the flap of each wrapper along the edge where it is separated from the strip w. In that operation the edge of the w 'apper is supported upon that part of the presserplate which lies under the paste-trough, and which is extended the required distance behind the mandrel for that purpose. Should the leading end of the wrapper at the time it is advanced along with the newspaper to the wrapping roll extend beyond the leading end of the folded newspaper no inconvenience in the operation of the machine is experienced, as both the wrapper and the newspaper are invariably seized and drawn forward by the mandrel.

In the operation of the machine it is found that the excess of wrapper projecting beyond the leadillg end of the paper becomes turned or doubled back over the edge of the paper as the two are rolled by the wrapping mandrel, so that the wrapper becomes folded in just about the manner that the end of the wrapper is turned in when a newspaper is being wrapped by hand. Such turning-in or folding of the excess of wrapper in this machine is facilitated no doubt by the tendency of the cut edge of the wrapper to curl up in frontof the leading end of the newspaper after passing out of the rolls.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In a machine for wrapping papers the combination of a rotatable wrapping-niandrel, a presser-plate beneath the mandrel extending at one side beyond the end of the mandrel, and movable in a direction parallel with the mandrel and longitudinally thereof, so as to expose the end of the wrapped paper beyond the presser-plate; means for intermittently moving said presser-plate, and an extracting-device operating to receive the exposed end of the wrapped paper and draw it off the mandrel.

2. In a machine for wrapping papers, a wrapping-mandrel of less dimensions in the length of its paper-holding portion than the paper to be wrapped, in combination with a movable presser-plate having a recess to rel l i ceive the mandrel and paper; means for moving the presser-plate longitudinally from beneath the end of the wrapped paper that extends over the mandrel at one end; and an extracting-device operating to receive t-he exposed end of the paper and draw it off the mandrel.

3. In a machine for wrapping' papers, the combination of a mandrel upon which the paper is wrapped, a presser plate for holding the paper againstI the mandrel, a reciprocating device for grasping and moving the paper from the mandrel, and means for reciprocating the said device along rectilinear lines and directing its movements to cause it to move in a path which is parallel with the axis of the mandrel.

l. In a machine for wrapping papers, the combination of a rotatable wrapping mandrel, a presser plate, having a recess to receive the mandrel and the coils of paper as the same is wound thereon, and movable longitudinally of the mandrel, an extracting device, a reciprocating carrier in which the extracting device and the presser plate are mounted, yielding supports on the carrier for the presser plate, and means for reciprocating the carrier relative to the mandrel, substantially as set forth.

5. In a machine for wrapping papers, the combination of the rotatable wrapping-mandrel, the yielding presser-mate, having a recess to receive the mandrel and the coils of paper as the same is wound thereon, supports, on which the presser-plate is mounted movable longitudinally of the mandrel, the extracting-rolls, the reciprocating-carrier in which the rolls are mounted for rotation, means for reciprocating the carrier and for moving the presser-plate backward from beneath the end of the wrapped paper in the advance movementI of the rolls.

G. A machine for wrapping papers, having a rotatable w appingmandrel, the paper-carrying portion of which is of less length than the paper being wrapped, an extractingdevice movable alternately toward and away from that end of the mandrel over which the coiled paper extends and adapted to seize and draw the paper off the mandrel, a yielding presser-plate beneath the mandrel extending under the paper for the whole length of the same, a support with which said presser-plate is movable longitudinally of the mandrel, and means for moving the presser-plate in unison with the extracting-device.

7. A machine for wrapping papers, having a rotatable wrapping-mandrel the papercarrying portion of which is of less length than the paper being wrapped, whereby one end of the paper coiled thereon will extend beyond the end of the mandrel, in combination with a yielding presser-plate adapted to support the paper for the full length of the coils laid around the mandrel, and movable from beneath that end of the coiled paper which extends beyond the mandrel, an extracting-device comprising a pair of rolls, a reciprocating-carrier for the rolls operating to alternately move said rolls toward and away from the end of the coiled paper, means for revolving the extracting-rolls, and means for moving the presser-plate in time with the reciprocations of the extractingrolls.

8. In a machine for wrapping papers, a rotatable Wrappingmandrel having its paper-carrying port-ion of less length than the paper being wrapped, in combination with a presser-plate adapted to move away from the mandrel under the accumulating coils of paper being laid thereon, a carrier for the presser-plate movable longitudinally with respect to the of the mandrel, a pair of extracting-rolls mounted on the carrier, and arranged for rotation in a plane at right angles to the rotation of the mandrel, means for rotating the said rolls, and means for intermittently reciprocating the carrier.

9. In a machine for wrapping papers the combination of a rotatable wrapping-inandrel, means 'for presenting the paper and a wrapper-strip thereto, a reciprocating-carrier movable in a plane at right angles to the axis of rotation of the mandrel and the lines of travel of the paper, a yielding presser-plate under the mandrel mounted on the carrier, extracting-rolls also mounted on the carrier, and means for intermittently reciprocating the carrier.

l0, In a machine for wrapping papers, paper and wrapper-feeding rolls, a wrapping-mechanism, a wrapper-cutting device comprising a fixed blade, and a movable cutting-blade pivoted at one end, and means for intermittently vibrating the movableblade, in combination with a vertically movable paste-trough situated over the cuttingblades, and having a paste applying roller in the bottom, a yielding-plate beneath the paste-trough for presenting the cut Wrapper to the paste-roller, and means connecting the paste-trough with the movable cutting blade to aotuate the same from the cutting-incohanism, and in time therewith.

ll. In a machine for wrapping papers, the combination of a rotatable wrapping mandrel, a presser' plate movable in a direction parallel with and longitudinally or the said mandrel, so as to expose thel end of the wrapped paper beyond the presser plate, means tor intermittently moving` said presser plate, and an extracting device operating to receive the exposed end of the wrapping paper and drawit off the mandrel.

IRA It. I-IUTCIIINSON.

lVitnesses D. A. CAsHiN, Gr. IV. CAR'rwRIGI-IT, S. M. KaLQUEs'r. 

